Agros Environmental Group - ERASMUS+ "EVS: A Promised Rose Garden" - Associazione Kora

Agros Environmental Group

         ERASMUS+
       Key Action 1 EVS

         Project tile:
“EVS: A Promised Rose Garden”

     3 May – 02 June 2019
        Agros- Cyprus

Hello dear friends and partners,

We would like to welcome you to our EVS project titled “EVS: A Promised Rose Garden”
that will be hosted in Cyprus by Agros Enviromental Group in cooperation with partner groups
from Lithuania, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Romania and Spain . In this INFO PACK you can read
all the details of the project.

Project Summary

“EVS: A Promised Rose Garden” is an EVS project of Filodasikos Syndesmos Agrou that will
organised in Agros between 03/05/19- 02/06/19. In the project will take part 30 volunteers with
fewer opportunities from 6 different countries.

This short-term EVS project enables volunteers to participate in our organization’s activities
and cooperation with other institutions in order to organize thе local "Roze festival 2019".

Topics of the project:
ecology, environment protection, culture & creativity

Moving in another country means learning and adjust the new knowledge to develop as a
person and help the social and daily life development in your community. Through non formal
activities our project will redefine the habits and the needs of youth in Agros underline the
need to respect our environment and our health. This EVS project means to adopt a Green life
style in the most trendy way that is beneficial for youth as well as the environment they live in.
The volunteers will be the example for the whole community as they will create events and
implement various activities. The rose festival is the best way to support our aims.

The project will take place in Agros (Cyprus), during its famous Festival of Roses and it will
gives an opportunity to the young people from different countries to realize their common
values by creating different works of art and embody in them their own cultural identities and
backgrounds. Agros the main centre for the production of the
Cypriot rose oil is famous worldwide thanks to this traditional activity that is several
centuries long. Rose-picking lasts for about
a month (from May to June, depending on weather conditions) and it is done every morning
from 5 to 10 o’clock. So the Volunteers will support local people in picking up roses and then
making rose products like marmalade, liquer, soaps, candles etc.

Moreover the 30 youngsters will work on projects which aim to create a better life for
youngsters, especially for those with fewer chances and those who are having luck of nature
and exercise in their daily life. This systematic work along with all the other activities of
Filodasikos Syndesmos Agrou and the Rose festival programmed activities are able to create a
System of unofficial rules that will be adopted by our citizens and change our community to a
better way.

In addition through inter-cultural activities the volunteers will present their culture, and
through daily life they will be integrated in the Cypriot society. “EVS: A Promised Rose
Garden” has also another meaning as promotes the youth mobility as a tool for the personal
development and social change.

The program will offer to the local youth a non formal series of methods for good life, inspired
by roses and their use. Methods and activities were adapted to modern life, to promote healthy
lifestyles, environmental awareness, direct human contact, sport and finally, the good life itself.

Today, more and more often unfortunately we meet young people with serious health disorders
based on poor eating habits, such as fast food, and eating food that carry chemicals and have no
nutritional value. In combination with a sedentary life-without exercise that today begins even
from childhood (the game has been replaced with a video game), the results are alarming! Also
the usage of computers is increasing not only in job places but also in youth spare time,
developed a addicted relationship.
All above creates youth profile nowadays. Poor diet, no exercise and face book / play station.
All these have been linked with multiple health problems, including tumors, cancer, emotional
disorders and behavioral problems.

At the same time, the environmental problems of cities (smog, worsening climatic conditions)
and the looming depletion of energy reserves of fossil fuels (coal, gas, oil, fissile materials) in
conjunction with the ever increasing demand for energy, and the gradual deterioration
environmental problems, has led modern society to turn both technical efficiency and the
rational use of energy.
“EVS: A Promised Rose Garden” will train the 30 volunteers to provide activities to the local
youth in order to make common solutions to these problems.

Volunteers working with young people will learn and develop ways to face these challenges
that both are beneficial for themselves and the environment! Focus on the Rose festival our
project makes what it promises: A Rose Garden!

Details of the project

 1. We will host total 30 female and male EVS volunteers aged 18-30 years old

 2. Project will last for 31 days (03/05/19- 02/06/19)

 3. Partner countries: Lithuania, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Romania and Spain

 4. Food and accommodation will cover 100% by organizers.

 5. Venue of the project is Agros village in Cyprus www.agros.org.cy

 6. DEADLINE for partners to select participants: 31 January 2019

Dates of the project

       APV meeting: 01-03 February 2019

       EVS project: 3 May – 02 June 2019

Participants

Participants should be responsible youngsters, aged between 18 – 30 years. They should have
an interest in the topic and be willing to learn and be motivated to share experiences with
others. They should also be able to work in English since the working language of this Project
will be English. Gender balance and group diversity in terms of different social and cultural
backgrounds should be taken into consideration. We know that the EVS experience is for the
‘lucky ones’ and our group does his best to make it productive and memorable one, so we’re
looking for Motivated Volunteers, who will be working for the organisation productively. The
level of English should be very good and the volunteers will have a chance to learn Greek as well.

Reimbursment

Unit costs of your travel expenses (see table above) will be covered by the organizers with the
support of ERASMUS+ programme. In order to receive this money for transportation, please
keep ALL original invoices, tickets, boarding-passes or any other transport document.
Below, there is a list with the budget with the travel costs (1 person) for each country for both
APV and EVS:

  No              Country                        Max amount per person in Euro
   1                 Italy                                       360
   2              Lithuania                                      360
   3                Spain                                        530
   4               Latvia                                        360
   5              Romania                                        275
   6               Greece                                        275

Travel costs from home to the venue of the project and return. Please note: only cheapest
means of transport/fares are subject to reimbursement. All amounts are expressed in Euros.

Very Important!!!!

ALL EVS volunteers must travel from their home country to Cyprus. This is the new rule we
have from National Agency and ERASMUS+. We can not host people who come from a
different country and not from their home country. Of course you can flight from a different
country but your trip must start from your country. As an example a person from Italy can go
to Greece by bus or train and take a flight from Greece to Cyprus. But we need also the bus or
train tickets which confirm that he start he’s journey from he’s country.

Partner groups

         Role                                   Name                           Country
 Hosting organization             Filodasikos Syndesmos Agrou                   Cyprus
Sending organization                Active Youth Association                   Lithuania
Sending organization                  System and G Greece                       Greece
Sending organization                  Sistema un G Latvija                      Latvia

Sending organization                    Associazione Kora                        Italy
Sending organization        Group of the European Youth for Change             Romania
Sending organization                    Building Bridges                         Spain

European Health Card

It is the participant’s responsibility to have a travel health insurance or a European Health
Card. The European Health Card is accepted in every country within the European Union, can
be obtained for free and is valid for 1 year.

More info at:

http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=559

Agros village

Participants will be lodged in a hotel, centrally located in Agros, a beautiful village in the heart
of Cyprus.Agros is a village in Limassol district, built amphitheatrically among high
mountains. Its population is 800 people and it is one of the most interesting villages in Cyprus
and Pitsillia area. Historical and cultural sites are kept in a natural environment of
extraordinary beauty with the village maintaining the customs and its traditional character. The
love for work and the progressiveness characterise its inhabitants. The village's modern roads
make it a connection point between the cities of Nicosia and Limassol and the mountain of
Troodos. Its main production line consists of grapes, garden products, fruit of excellent quality,
soutzoukos, traditional type smoked products (sausages, lountza, choiromeri), traditional
sweets and marmalades. Its inhabitants are also into tourism business (hotels, tourist
apartments, inns, traditional coffee shops, taverns and bars.). More info at www.agros.org.cy
Agros is called the "ROZE village" as you can find a special kind of beautiful and fragrant
roses. The locals use them to produce the famous rose water.

Rose water is produced from “rodi damaskini” which is a special cultivation of roses. These
roses have a beautiful scent and they are the most adequate for the production of rose water.
Every May in Agros we have the "Roze Festival" at the peak of roze blossom. The festival
offer a choice of functions, activities, displays and demonstrations that delight anyone
appreciating nature's beauty.

Accomodation

Participants will be lodged in Vlachos hotel in Agros, a beautiful village in the heart of
Cyprus (www.agros.org.cy). The hotel offers double and triple rooms, bathrooms and
balconies offering views to Troodos Mountain. Towels and bed linens are provided. The hotel
also offers free wifi and two minimarket shops are located very close. Also the hotel will have
wifi, TV, cuisine and saloon. The flat is equipped with all the facilities.

Climate
The average daytime temperature in Agros is around 250C and you are advised to bring sun
protection lotion or cream to protect your skin and avoid getting sunburn. At night, the
temperature drops down, so please also bring a jacket with you! During May the weather is
fresh.

Entry to the island
Larnaca airport is the nearest to the venue. Cyprus has a second airport situated in Paphos,
however transportation between Paphos and the venue is more difficult.

IMPORTANT:

Ercan is an airport in the Northern part of Cyprus, which is occupied by Turkey, and it is
considered to be an illegal airport, not belonging to the Republic of Cyprus. Therefore, the
European Union cannot cover travel expenses between any country and that airport. This is not
our personal opinion, but a policy of Cyprus Republic that we have to respect. Therefore, we
are asking you to book your flights with the cheapest flights from one of the 2 legal airports of
Cyprus.

Coming to the venue of the project (Agros village)

When you arrive in Larnaca or in Paphos airport, we will arrange a bus to pick you up from
there and bring you to Agros village. The trip from airport to the venue of the project will take
about 1.5 hour.

                                     WHAT TO BRING?

The Tasks of the volunteer will be:

      Work in the preparation and implementation of Roze Festival 2019
      involvement in administrative and secretarial works of the organisation
      Making promotional materials for the organisation and the Roze Festival
      involvement in all event organisational and realization activities
      Participation in Youth activities
      The volunteers should organize their own Events
      Participation in meetings of the Agros Youth Club council
      Participation in European projects hosted in Agros and abroad
      Participation in European projects hosted
      The volunteers should organise an ERASMUS+ project
      Collection of material and information on the following subjects:

i.      Environment of Agros: Organise walks in nature trails, create a record for local flora and
fauna, organise photo contest about Agros landscape

ii.     History of Agros: List all important historical places of the village, create thematic trails
inside the village

iii.    Culture of Agros: meet the cultural inheritance of the village, live and record traditional
local customs and habits

iv.     Meet Cyprus: Take part in field trips organized by the Youth Club, organise visits in
different places in Cyprus during free time

      Creation of a digital “travel guide” for Agros Village. Ideally, this should be in different
       languages (e.g. English, Romanian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Italian Spanish, Greek)
      Print version of the travel guide (short version)
      Creation of a webpage about the EVS project and Agros environmental group.
      The volunteers should organise presentation of their country and their association.
      Common events and meetings with volunteers from other organizations in Cyprus,
       meetings with Erasmus students, meetings with members of the Youth Club that are outside
       of Agros.
      Basic Greek lessons.

What to bring:

In order to everybody have a really good time, we would like you to bring some things which
we believe are important for the participation of all participants and for the success of the
Youth Exchange.

            Necessary documents such as passports, travel documents, etc.
            Comfortable clothes and shoes
            Personal care products, such as shower gel, shampoo, comb, etc.
            cameras, laptops and other equipment making life and work easier;
            Medicine, if you regularly take any
            Money
            And above all bring joy and lots of positive energy !!
            Endless amounts of good mood and motivation for work and leisure!
            Positive attitude, desire to learn and meet cool new people! :)

COSTS:

        The project is funded within the frames of ERASMUS+ project. So all costs are covered:
        Travel cost up to the travel limit according the distance calculator of EU
        Insurance will be covered by CIGNA

EVS On-Arrival Training

The training activity will take place in Agros between 06-08 May 2019 and is organised by the
hosting group

The aim of the training is to provide the new EVS volunteers information on their rights and
duties, the ERASMUS+ programme and EVS. The volunteers are also will give a chance to
reflect on the importance of communication, their role in their projects and the project in
general. Also, to introduce the hosting country and the projects’ environment to incoming
volunteers and to empower them so that they cope with the challenges that will occur during
their stay and activation.

Objectives

        To get to know each other but also to get acquainted with other actors related to the
         EVS programme in Cyprus.
        To bring volunteers in a primary contact with Cypriot cultural characteristics.
        To create an “informal” volunteers’ network that will constitute a means for mutual
         support and exchange of experience during their project.
        To exchange “first” experiences with regards to the volunteers’ hosting projects.

It is not required any certification or special skills, just bring your enthusiasm and live the
event in its proper and cheerful mood!
We encourage participants to be an active part of this project, embracing responsibility and
enjoy the cultural side of this experience! And now, pack your bags, fill your heads with ideas
and come meet us in Agros. Together we can make a change!
We hope that you find the Project worth participating in and we look forward to meeting you
on May 2019!

Please do not hesitate to contact us on email vasilis@cing.ac.cy or by phone at 00357-
99473782 if you have any more questions!

See you in Cyprus!

Agros Environmental Group

                                            Contacts:

                  Vasilis Christofi (Coordinator): vasilis@cing.ac.cy

               Diana Batraka (Coordinator): systemandg@gmail.com

                 Argyris Choulias (Coach): systemandg@gmail.com

          Alexis Koutsoventis (Project Manager): alexkna@hotmail.com